Influence of phototherapy on psychoautonomic syndromes

Therapy by bright white light was applied to 51 patients. 4 blocks of psych oautonomic syndromes of neurotic nature were analysed: 1) pronounced (14 ca ses) and mild (12) hypothalamic dysfunction; 2) moderate and pronounced dep ression (21) and the state without depression (9); 3) headache of different types - 37 patients, including 21 ones with chronic headache of effort, co mbined with migraine - 5 cases, or combined with vascular headache - 11 pat ients; 4) paroxysmal disorders (43 individuals: 25 - with typical panic att acks, 18 - with atypical panic attacks). More pronounced positive effect wa s found in the group with atypic PA and in the group with slight hypothalam ic dysfunction, accompanied by solitary neuro-endocrine symptoms With:moder ate or severe depression, with chronic headache of strain including a combi nation with migraine. Neuroendocrine, motivative, psychovegetative, algesic and psychopathologic symptomatology was decreased significantly in, all th e groups with positive effect together with the improvement of the objectiv e psychophysiologic indices. Intrahemispheric interactions were also improv ed, exactly: the power of frequency EEC spectrum increased, in general, bec ause of both the increase of the slow rhythms from both sides and the appro ach of the coefficient of asymmetry to the control. The least effect was ob served in the patients with senesto-hypochondric syndrome, with prevalence of anxiety over depression, with rude hypothalamic dysfunction, with vascul ar headache, with typic PA.